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Chapters (88)
  1. Cover Page
  2. Front Flap
  3. Title Page
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. Back Flap
  88. Back Cover

Cleo smiled. “What do you mean am I sure? You just saved my life. I’ll escort you to your cabin and get out the ice.”

28

Cliff and Yaya Paradise were enjoying a glass of wine at their campsite.

“Ah,” Cliff said, leaning back in his outdoor chair that folded up in a snap. “I love this mellow feeling when day is done, gone the sun. After the thrill of exploration, whether it be the excitement of climbing a mountain, or the challenge of learning a new dance step, there’s nothing like sitting back and enjoying life.” He grabbed his wife’s hand and kissed it. “With my Yaya. The woman who never said no when I wanted to continue exploring Planet Earth. She only said ya … ya … Yaya!” He kissed her hand again.

Yaya smiled. “Till the day she died my mother could never get used to the nickname you gave me. But she loved to hear about our world travels.”

“Our world travels meant getting a lot of painful shots over the years, but it was worth it,” Cliff said, sipping the red wine they’d bought in the village. “What excites me now is the museum. Aren’t we lucky to have come across those pottery skulls? They remind me of Mexican sugar skulls, but much easier to transport.”

“I’ll say,” Yaya chuckled. “These last few months we really found some interesting pieces.” She paused, then put her finger to her temple. “I’m surprised Cleo didn’t send us an e-mail when she received the trunk. She always opened the trunks we sent to Los Angeles right away and sent some funny comment. I received the confirmation the trunk was delivered to New Jersey. If she saw those crazy skulls, I can’t imagine why we didn’t hear from her …” Yaya’s voice trailed off.

“Maybe she’s gotten used to her crazy old parents. At least we know it arrived.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes. “Cliff,” Yaya finally said. “Why don’t we go into town and call Cleo?”

“Now?”

“Yes.”

“But why?”

“I want to hear her voice.”

“Darling, can’t you hear it tomorrow?”

“No.”

Cliff looked at his wife. “What’s the matter?”

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s a mother’s intuition …”

“Say no more,” Cliff said, draining his glass, then staring down into the valley. “We’ll go down right now. On the one hand it’s wonderful this campsite is removed from the modern world and the technology that has taken over so many people’s lives, but on the other hand—” Suddenly he stopped talking. He turned to his wife.

Yaya was already running down the hill.

29

Regan turned to her mother and couldn’t help but laugh as Edna boomed from the front porch, “Autographed books by the famous author Nora Regan Reilly …”

“Mom, don’t worry about it.”